


Women of Star Wars appreciation Week

by IaMcHrIsSi



Series: Small pictures [4]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, unconnected drabbles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-22
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-04-16 14:56:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4629510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IaMcHrIsSi/pseuds/IaMcHrIsSi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My answers to the Woswaw</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The prompts were:  
> Day 1: Don't look back  
> Day 2: You know, you two have more in common than you think. It's no wonder you get along so well.  
> Day 3: Someone has to save our skins!  
> Day 4: It's only the likes of me, with nothing to loose, who'll really be prepared to tear the galaxy down and start over.  
> Day 5: You're going down a path I can't follow.  
> Day 6: If all you fight for is your own life, your life is worth nothing.  
> Day 7: You can call me "Great One". Most people do.

The apartment is small and rundown, in a bad part of a not really nice town, and Ahsoka is not quite sure how long she'll be able to pay the rent. Padme has given her a bit money, just so she can actually start new somewhere, and at that time it had seemed amazing, a perfect opportunity, but now...

Ahsoka has no idea what she is going to do now. She has never had any training or education beyond what is taught at the Temple, and she quit that. _She quit the Jedi._ Sitting here, in her dingy apartment, alone and clueless about how to go on, it feels like madness. What had she been thinking? What had made her do something so mad, something so obviously crazy? Why had she given up on her life, given up on everything she knows, everything that she ever learned, without even an idea as to how to go on?

Of course, she knows the answer to that. After all that happened, after being hunted by her own people and almost executed for a crime she didn't commit, after the council,  _her Jedi council, the people she had respected and trusted her whole life_ , had sold her out to the senate, she had known, still does know, that there is no way she would be able to truly trust them again. And how can she go back to the Temple, how can she be a Jedi, if she doesn't trust the masters? How can she look the Younglings in the eyes and act as if she still trust the council when she doesn't, how can she go around fullfilling the councils orders when inside she questions every single one of them? It's impossible, and she knows it. A clean cut, leaving it all behind, is what is best for her, for everyone involved.

Sighing, Ahsoka lets herself fall on the bed. It's hard, not as comfortable as in the Temple, but she thinks that she will just have to get used to it. Like to so many other things.

She can't forget the look in Anakin's eyes when she told him that she'd not come back. Can't forget the mix of sadness, anger, loneliness and betrayal. In that moment, she had almost turned back, had almost reconsidered her decision, but as much as she will miss Skyguy (and Master Kenobi, and Padme, and Rex and Cody and all the other soldiers) she knows that to continue fighting with them, to act as if nothing had happened, would have helped nobody in the long run.

Still, even though she knows it's the right thing, even though she knows that there was not truly any other choice she could have made and lived with, now that she's actually done it, it feels like her life has ended. The Jedi had been everything to Ahsoka, she had always thought that she would live and die for their cause, as one of them, respected and respectful. Now that's just  _gone_ , and she doesn't know what to do with her life.

Frustrated, she closes her eyes, tries to meditate a bit like Master Kenobi taught her. It has never been her strong suit, but still. Maybe it will help her now.

She controls her breathing and tries to concentrate. It is difficult, because all the noises, all the smells around her are new, unfamiliar, and throw her off. Finally, she feels a calm settle somewhere in herself. Her breathing becomes deep and slow.

Suddenly, an old memory comes to her. It's Master Plo, looking at her with warm, dark eyes. It had been one of her first nights in the Temple, Ahsoka remembers, and she had had horrible homesickness.  _(Strange, she thinks, that now she can't even remember how her home before the Jedi was like)._ Master Plo had crouched down in front of her, so that she could look him into the eyes easily, and told her:  _Your old life has ended. You have a new one now. Don't look back, embrace the future instead. It is golden and full of light, and you will be happy, little one._

The memory, old as it is, makes Ahsoka smile. Maybe Master Plo was right, maybe his advice will help her even now, when she has forsaken the Jedi.

_Don't look back_ , she thinks.  _Embrace the future._ Ahsoka is still young, she still has a long life waiting for her. She is free, for the first time in her life she has noone to tell her what to do. She can travel the galaxy like she always wanted, she can learn all about other cultures and things. She can settle down somewhere, or buy a ship and become a trader. She can stay alone or find friends, with nobody telling her anything about attachments anymore. She can do literally anything, free from the rules of the order.

Ahsoka smiles, truly smiles, for the first time since she'd left the Order. She looks around in her apartment. Sure, it's still small and rundown, but she can do something with it. She could buy a couple things, make it more homey, like she's seen it in Padme's rooms, and maybe pick a couple flowers. She could buy a couple books, making the whole thing look more intellectual. Slowly, Ahsoka can see a future for herself.

_Don't look back_ , Ahsoka thinks the next morning when she applies for a job with the local mechanic. Anakin has taught her enough about repairing droids and ships that she is taken immediately. 

_Don't look back,_ she thinks a week later, when she buys a new bed from her first pay check, sinking down in the fluffy comfortable matress and feeling as though she might actually have a home again.

_Don't look back,_ she thinks whenever she sees news about the War or the senate, sometimes with pictures of Anakin, Master Kenobi or Padme.

_Don't look back, and embrace the future._ Turns out this advice works outside the Jedi Temple, too.


	2. You two have more in common than you think

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Full Quote: You two have more in common than you think. It's no wonder you get along so well.  
> Context: Padme is on Tatooine with the Lars's while Anakin tries to save his mother. She and Padme bond a bit.

Night is falling quickly, and Padme finds herself biting her fingernails for the first time in years. It annoys her quite a bit, as she thought she'd gotten over this habit years ago. It is simply not something a queen or a senator should do, a childish habit that shows everyone else how nervous she is, but right now? Well, she is nervous, more nervous she ever remembers being, save for maybe the day of her coronation as queen. That doesn't mean that she should resort to childish habits, especially as it's hard to hide the evidence of biting you own nails.

Still, Padme can't help it. Anakin has been gone for so long now, out in the deathly desert, alone, seeking for the people who had abducted and most probably murdered his mother, the kindly woman Padme still remembers from her visit over ten years ago. The whispered remarks from the Owen and Cliegg Lars, Anakin's step father and brother, who seem to think that Anakin's plan to get his mother back alive is nothing but a suicidal folly, do not exactly help to calm Padme's nerves, even though they try to keep it quiet.

Suddenly, something cracks behind her. Padme, to her shame, almost shrieks and grabs her blaster, hidden at her leg, but when she turns around it is only Beru, holding a plate with two cups and what seems to be tea.

“Don't worry, it's just me.” The young woman says, amusement glinting in her eyes. Padme blushes. Who did she even expect to come here? This house is safe, she knows. It's really quite stupid of her to react like she did.

“I thought you might want some tea. It's a Tatooinian recipe, you probably don't know it, but Shmi taught me and I've always loved it. It helps to calm down when one is worried.” Beru tells her, voice steady and somehow... solid. Honest, in a way Padme is not quite used to from Coruscant and even the court of Naboo.

“I'd love some.” Padme smiles at the other woman. She takes a sip of the indeed very tasty tea, and looks at Beru, really looks at her. They are about the same age, Padme realizes. Beru is slim and not very tall, but she has a ...deftness about her that Padme herself never had. Without truly knowing Beru, Padme knows that the other woman is not afraid of hard work, that she can survive in the desert and that she can cook without thinking about it.

Thinking about it, Padme wants to know more about Anakin's future step-sister-in-law. She wants to know about life on Tatooine, about how Shmi was like, about what Beru thinks about Anakin and the Core. She just... wants to learn about this woman, who lives on a remote desert planet and seems quite  _happy_ to do so.

“Have you known Owen long?” Padme asks tentatively. Beru smiles. It's a smile full of love, with a bit fond extrasparation and amusement, probably directed at her fiance, who is currently discussing farm things with his father, mixed into it.

“Since what feels like forever. My mother's family has always lived here, and after moms death dad and I continued to live with them. I had a crush on Owen since I was but a young girl, but never thought anything would come from it. My dad is a freed slave, you know, and the Lars's have always been free. Even though Cliegg eventually married Shmi, I didn't think I'd stand a chance when there are so many prettier free girls around. I kept away from him to spare myself the heartache. As it turns out, however, that was unnecessary, and here we are.” Beru smiles through her tale. Padme tries to smile back, but something constricts in her throat.

Troubled love, divided by social constructs, keeping away from one's beloved to spare oneself the heartache... that sounds just a bit too familiar for her to be comfortable. And for her and Anakin there won't be such a happy ending as for Beru and Owen. Even if Padme gives in to her feelings, Anakin is still a Jedi. He can't get attached to people, she knows the rules. That won't change, and she won't ever ask him to leave the Order, to let go of something that is so obviously important to him. She couldn't do that to him.

Padme sighs, and takes another sip of her tea, while Beru, eyes warm and just a bit too understanding, leads the conversation to other topics instead, such as how uncommunicative men can be, and how protective fathers are sometimes the most annoying thing ever. It makes both of them laugh a lot, even though Padme can't truly shake the feeling that this all is not going to turn out well.


	3. Someone has to save our skins!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ghost Crew is in trouble. Ezra watches in awe as Sabine saves all of them.

Blaster shots burn themselves into the wall next to Ezra. He tries to move, but the Force screams a warning the moment he tries to get up, and he lets himself fall down again, just in time to see blaster shots fly where his head had been a just a second before.

Breathing heavily, Ezra looks around. The hall is pretty much completely destroyed, fires raging everywhere and Imps swarming the place. He sees Zeb fighting a group of them, and considers helping out, but suddenly he feels something behind him and turns around just in time to shoot the Storm Trooper who had been trying to sneak up on him.

He needs to move, he knows this. His position doesn't truly afford him much cover, and he would really appreciate it if he got out of this one alive. Carefully he looks around and finally sees a wreckage of a couple destroyed fighers. Sabine's work, he remembers, and runs to hide under them. There are flames licking on the metal, making everything hot, but not too much.

They have to get out of here. The mission is a bust, there's nothing to save here anymore, and the Imps just keep coming. They can't hold out for much longer, and Ezra is sure his friends know that. They just need to figure out how to get away without ending up dead.

Taking a deep breath, trying to calm himself, Ezra reaches out ot Kanaan. He receives an answering touch, but Kanaan is obviously distracted fighting his own Imps. No help from there, then. Hera is on the other side of the hall, holding her own admirably, but also not really able to help with any plans for a rushed disappearance.

Suddenly, Ezra hears someone landing next to him. Cursing, he activates his saber. Why didn't the Force warn him? Was he that distracted? To his immense relief, it's Sabine. She is playing with some sort of... bomb?!

“What are you doing with this?” Ezra asks carefully. He trust Sabine, of course he does, but, well, there's fire everywhere. He's not quite sure whether handling explosives right now is such a good idea.

“Well, this has been going on too long, don't you think?” She's smirking. Ezra just knows that she's smirking, even though he can't see it under her colorful helmet.

“When I say so, duck.” She says, throwing the bomb into the nearest group of Imps. It releases a large amount of seemingly harmless pink color, but Ezra has seen what Sabine can do with colors, and remains wary. She moves away quickly, running to Zeb. Cursing, because _hello, warn a guy, there are Imps just waiting to kill you_ , Ezra moves to provide cover fire.

After a few moments, Ezra resumes firing at anyone who comes to close to him or to Zeb, since he still can't see Kanaan and Hera is too far away for him to be of any help. Just as a whole sqadron zeroes in on him and he's pretty sure that he won't get out of this one unharmed, he hears Sabines voice, loud and clear over the noises from the fight. “Duck!” She screams, and Ezra does.

Immediately after, more than a dozen bombs go off. It's loud and colorful, and somehow Sabine managed to make parts of the ceiling fall down, right on the Imps. Within seconds, all of them are down and out for the count.

Eary silence greets him as Ezra stands up, slightly confused and definitively impressed. He sees Kanaan, Hera and Zeb, dusting themselves of, varying expressions of shock and glee on their faces, and Sabine, who stands in the middle of the room, seemingly unfazed.

“Well, somebody had to save our skins.” She says nonchalantly, and Ezra swears to never get on her bad side again. By the way Zeb and Kanaan look at Sabine, Ezra guesses a similar thought just crossed their mind.

Hera, however grins. “Good work.” She says, and moves to high five Sabine. Ezra decides then and there that the women on his team are scary. Awesome, but absolutely scary.


	4. The likes of me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Full Quote: It's only the likes of me, with nothing to lose, who'll really be prepared to tear the galaxy down and start over.  
> Context: Padme survives ROTS, but the twins don't. Depressed and angry, Padme becomes a dark angel archetype, hell bend on taking down the Empire.

The ship yard is empty and dark. Once upon a time that might have scared Padme, might have made her call for one of her guards to accompany her, but that was long ago, in another life, with Padme herself being such a different person.

Instead of worrying needlessly, Padme walks through the deserted yard, determinated and angry, always angry. She knows how it looks to others, how people will get out of her path instinctively when they see her, how people fear her.

_(There was a time when people loved her, but that's long gone, and truly, what did love ever give her but pain?)_

A light is shining in one of the ships, telling her where she needs to go. Padme had personally recommended this place for a meeting, knowing that the Imps would never think to look here, on a poor Outer Rim planet, for the dreaded rebel agent “The Lady”, as she is known, or her superiors, the true leaders of the Alliance. The Empire (correctly) suspects Core world leaders as the heads of the organized rebellion, and unimaginative as they are, they would never think that such rich people would willingly leave the comfort and safety of their homes for a meeting on a dirty, highly criminal Outer Rim planet.

Well, nobody ever accused them of being creative, Padme muses darkly as she opens the ship door, her hand loosely on her blaster. It could be a trap, of course, the whole place could be rigged, but Padme finds that she does not care all that much.

Inside, two familiar faces greet her. Bail Organa and Mon Mothma, old friends from her own senate days, are sitting around a table, sipping water and obviously waiting for her. It would be polite to apologize for the delay, but Padme has given up on politeness years ago, so she just nods at them and sits down.

They look at her with worry in their eyes, like they always do. There's pity, too. Padme wants to tell them to stop, wants to punch something or maybe blow a couple Imps up. She doesn't need their pity, doesn't need their worry. It's not like there is anything left to save in Padme, and though Padme understands their position, understands that they want their old friend back, she knows it's impossible. She is not the same anymore, and it would be better for everyone if they acknowledged that.

“Are you well?” Bail asks. It's a sincere question, but Padme still rages on the inside. Her husband has turned evil, her children are dead, her lifes work is destroyed. _Of course_ she is _not_ well. Instead of saying this, however, and making Bail worry even more, she just nods. He doesn't seem convinced, but lets the matter drop. Padme is grateful for that.

“I have the plans. The Imperials are planning even bigger destruction than we thought. We need to act, and we need to do it now.” She tells them, voice firm and cold. She doesn't have any warmth left, not truly.

“We could bring this in front of the senate...” Mon starts, but Padme shakes her head.

“No. The senate is a farce, we all know that. We need to attack with all we have. Alderaan has more weapons than anybody wants to admit, and Chandrilla is not far behind. We will need those weapons.” She sounds ruthless, Padme knows she does, but she needs to make them understand.

“You're talking about war, about the destruction of the last shredds of democracy.” Bail says, disapproval clear in his voice. He thinks of his wife and daughter on Alderaan, of Breha and little Winter, who is only a few months older than Padme's babies would be. It makes Padme angry, makes her want to explode, because does he really think he can save them by doing nothing?

“The destruction of democracy happened years ago!” She shouts. “There's nothing left to save! We need to fight fire with fire, or we will all die!”

She takes a deep breath. Closes her eyes for a moment. She knows that they want to believe, both of them, knows that they have families and responsibilites and duties. Still, a political solution is just not going to work.

“You have families, spouses and children you need to protect. I know that. I respect that. But it blinds you to the fact that there are billions of sentients suffering everyday, millions of sentients dying or being enslaved. You want to make sure your loved ones are safe, and I understand that, but in the end, it’s only the likes of me, with nothing to lose, who’ll really be prepared to tear the galaxy down and start over. So let me fire the first shot to that goal.”

Her little speech is a success, Padme notes. _Well_ , she thinks darkly, _I once was a beloved politician, and some things you just don't forget_. They are considering her words, and when they exchange a loaded glance, she knows she has won.

“This can't ever be traced to us.” Bail says, and Padme gives him a guarded smile. “Of course.” She promises him.

“Your branch will not be part of the official Alliance, we will not publically support you in anything you do.” Mon tells her, eyes hard and expression no-nonsens.

“I wouldn't have it any other way.” Padme looks at her old friends, feeling something like triumph for the first time in years. “I will take them down, piece by piece, corrupt executive by corrupt executive. I promise you that.”


	5. A path I can't follow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Full Quote: You're going down a path I can't follow.  
> Context: After Padme's death, Sabe calls her fellow handmaidens together. However, not all of them agree that the Empire needs to be taken down.

The sun is setting at the lake Nu, sending colours all over the sky and the water. It's a beautiful scenery, just as beautiful as Naboo itself, but Sabe can't truly appreciate it.

Her best friend, her _sister_ , is gone. Dead of a heart attack is the official statement, but nobody truly believes that, least of all Sabe. It's why she decided to organize this meeting, to call in her old collegues, the other handmaidens who had all loved Padme dearly.

Taking a deep breath, Sabe turns away from the lake and to her friends. They look at her with a million questions in their eyes. They expect her to take the lead, Sabe knows, like tehy always do. She's always been the second in command, the one they turned to if Padme for some reason couldn't lead them. And now Padme is dead, and Sabe is the only one left. It hurts so much.

“All of you know that Padme died.” She says, and is proud of how steady her voice sounds. There is no waver, no indication of just how much she wants to run and hide and ignore the fact that her sister is gone.

“The official story, as you no doubt have heard, is that she died of a heart attack. I think we can all agree that this is absolute bullshit.” Sabe continues. She looks around and sees most of her friends nodding, obviously not believing the Empire any more than Sabe herself does. However, Rabe raises her hand.

“How can we be sure about that? And why would anybody lie? It's not as if Padme was a terrorrist or something, and the Empire is open about everything they know. What makes you think they'd hide something from us?” It's an honest question, but Sabe has a sinking feeling in her stomach. Is Rabe right? Is Sabe seeing things, out of grief and disbelief and horror?

“She was 27, Rabe. There is no way a 27 year old dies of a heart attack.” Dorme tells Rabe, seemingly annoyed, but Sabe sees the tears in her friends eyes. So Sabe is not seeing things. She wants to let out a relieved sigh, but that would clue the others in to the fact that she was nervous, and that just won't do.

“So you don't buy that fairytale either?” Eirtae asks, looking up at Sabe sternly. There is barely repressed anger in her voice, and Sabe smiles, for the first time since she heard about Padme. At least Eri will not join the Empire, that much is clear.

“It's not a fairytale. I don't know why you insist on seeing something that isn't there. Padme died, and I grieve her as much as you do, but that doesn't mean there was any conspiracy involved in it. Instead of spinning wild theories, lets grieve Padme and celebrate the end of the war. You know how much she wanted it to end.” Rabe is still unconvinced, and she seems annoyed. Rabe will not fight against the Empire, Sabe realizes, and she does not believe that there is need to fight.

“Rabe, you're not that stupid. There is definitively something extremely shady going on there. The Empire is covering up something, and I want to know what that is.” Eri says, voice rising. Next to her, Elle and Motee are nodding.

“I don't know what has gotten into you, and I honestly don't want to know. I will not make a nuisance out of myself for some conspiracy theory, especially not if the Empire already has so much on it's plate with the end of the war and whatnot. I'm sorry, but you're going down a path I can't and won't follow. If this is everything you have to say, then I'm gone. There's better ways to spend my time. I have volunteered for the Imperial Diplomatic Unit, where I'm going to do the work Padme would be doing if she were here, instead of getting lost into such stupid mind games.Have any of you even visited the Naberries? They have lost their daughter, I remind you!” There is distaste in Rabe's voice, and when nobody speaks up to convince her to stay, she grabs her purse and leaves.

Sabe sits down, shaking her head. This meeting was not supposed to end like this. She had thought her friends would be with her in this.

“Rabe is wrong. We need to do something about this.” It's Verse, the youngest and most quiet one of the handmaidens. She looks up at Sabe with steel in her eyes, and when all the other girls nod at her words, Sabe finds new courage.

“It's not going to be easy, and it won't bring Padme back, but I swear to you, we will find out what happened to her. Maybe Rabe will come back to her senses and join us, maybe she won't, but we will not give up. Our queen was murdered. Let's find those responsible!”

  
  



	6. Fight for more than your own life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Full Quote: If all you do is fight for your own life, than your life is worth nothing.  
> Context: Breha has a moment with her daughter and tells her a story.

The sky is clear and blue, not a single cloud in sight. Leia dances around the garden, watches the flowers, red and yellow and blue and purple and pink and orange, bend with the breeze. It's a wonderful day, and technically she should be in her lessons with Winter. But Winter is out, visiting her grandmother, and so Leia is alone. Not even Sabe is here. Leia's favorite teacher had to go on an urgent trip. A family emergency, papa had said. Leia hopes that Sabe's family is okay.

Walking through the garden, lost in thought, Leia doesn't even notice that she isn't alone anymore until a warm hand is placed on her shoulder. Surprised, she whirls around, but it is only her mother. For a moment she is scared, because she shoudn't be here, and mama knows that, but mama smiles, both with her mouth and with her eyes, so Leia doesn't think mama is mad.

“Why aren't you in your lessons, my dear? I'm sure Mister Ahill is wondering where you are.” Mama asks. It's a sincere question, mama doesn't believe in asking questions if you already know the answer.

“Winter isn't here. And Sabe is gone, too. Alone the lessons are so boring-” Leia tells her mother. It's not a convincing argument and she knows it. Then another thought comes to her. “And I shouldn't learn more than Winter, should I? It would be no fun for her if I knew everything and she nothing. We need to learn at the same time, it's what Sabe always says.” Leia feels very clever, remembering what Sabe said. Her mother smiles, and there is pride in her eyes as she puts her hand on Leia's cheek.

“Okay, then, sweetie. Maybe I could tell you a story instead?” Mama asks, and Leia beams. Mama tells stories very well, it's always exciting. She slips on mama's lap, and looks up to her. Mama takes a deep breaht, and starts telling.

“A long time ago, there was a woman named Malia. She was the daughter of a seamstress and a fisher, living in a small village near the ocean. She was happy in her village, lacking for nothing. It is said she loved the books in the local library.” At this, mama glances at Leia. Leia grimaces. It's not her fault that some books are boring!

“When Malia was 20, her village was attacked by robbers. They took the people's food, and most of their valuables that hadn't been hidden. They even killed some of the villagers, including Malia's father, an elderly man who had never harmed anyone.

Malia was very angry, as you will probably understand.” Leia nods furiously. She would be very very angry if someone hurt her papa, so she can easily understand Malia's anger.

“When a few of the villagers decided to form an armed group that would defend the village, Malia volunteered. Her mother was quite worried, but Malia was firm in her decision. She trained very hard, and soon she became the best fighter in the whole village.

When the robbers attacked again, they were met by a group of fighters. As surprised as they were, they did not fight well. The defenders quickly ran the robbers out of their village, and up a hill to the robbers hiding place.

When they arrived on top of the hill, Malia noticed that her village was not the only one the robbers attacked. Another village, smaller and poorer, was constantly being attacked by the robbers.

Malia couldn't stand to do nothing, and so she turned to her fellow defenders, and asked them to join her in helping the other village. But only two of her friends joined her, the others deciding that this other village wasn't their concern.

So, Malia and her two friends went to free the village from the robbers. They knew they couldn't win a direct fight, so they went into the village, trying to convince them to rise up against their oppressors.

But the villagers were scared, they knew that the robbers could easily kill their loved ones, and one of them went to the robbers to tell them about Malia. The robbers came back and it came to a fight. Malia and her friends fought bravely, but in the end there were just too many fighters. Malia was injured harshly, and she died.”

Leia's breath catches in her throat. She is a bit shocked that Malia died. Malia is the hero of the story, and while she of course knows that not all stories and well, she had not expected this.

“One of Malia's friends survived. The villagers, horrified by the betrayal of one of their own, saved her and went to those who had come with Malia, and told them what had happened.

Enraged by Malia's death, the defenders of the village by the ocean went to destroy the robbers. Together with the villagers from the top of the mountain, they won the battle. Both the villages were free now.

Malia's friend brought her body to her mother. Malia was buried close to the ocean, with the whole village grieving for her. To this day, her story has not been forgotten.”

Leia thinks hard. It's really sad that Malia had died, and that Malia's mother had been all alone, but at least Malias friends had won against the evil robbers. There is, however, a thing she doens't understand.

“Why did she do it? Why did she stay behind, knowing she couldn't win on he own? Her village was save. She could have just left.” Leia says. Her mother sighs.

“Because it was the right thing to do. If all you do is fight for your own life, then your life is worth nothing. Malia knew that. Helping the villagers was the right thing to do, and so she did it.”

Leia is still a bit confused. “But she died! She didn't archieve anything!”

“Didn't she? The robbers were defeated, the villages were freed.” Mama is looking at Leia like she always does when it is important that Leia understands something. Leia bites her lips.

“So... she died, but that doesn't mean she lost. And when people need help, people should help them, even if they themselves don't get anything out of it, simply because it is the right thing to do.” It's almost a question, but that's what Leia understood. Apparently it's right, because mama smiles proudly.

“Exactly.” She says, a strange expression on her face, worry and joy and pride and fear and something else altogether, and pulls Leia closer.


	7. You can call me “Great One”. Most people do.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kanaan and Hera have a little moment after a Mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I completly forgot I hadn't posted this yet, sorry!

His leg hurts. Kanaan hasn't looked, but he is pretty sure that he got shot there at some point. Or maybe he got hit by some debris from Sabine's explosion. He can still walk without problems, though, and he doesn't seem to have bled too much, so he assumes _(hopes)_ it's just a graze.

It doesn't truly matter. Before he has time to look after himself, he has to make sure Hera is okay. She had walked away from the mission joking with Sabine, but knowing his old friend, that doesn't have to mean she's not injured. Hera can be just as stubborn as Kanaan himself when it comes to that.

He finds her in her cabin, sitting on her bed with her eyes closed. Her jacket is lying next to the door, and Kanaan can easily see a graze on her arm. Nothing serious, thank the Force. He can't see any other injury from his position, and he hopes there are none.

“You finished staring, darling?” Hera asks, eyes still closed. Kanaan smiles and closes the door behind him.

“Never, dear, but I was actually coming to check whether you are hurt. The mission went not quite as planned, after all.” That was pretty much the understatement of the century. The mission had been a complete bust. The info lacking and the Imps suspicious, it hadn't been long before all of them had been involved in a shootout in the imperial shipyard. It is only thanks to Sabine and her useful little explosives that all of them got out alive and in one piece.

“A graze, one of the bastards got me when I wasn't looking. Nothing serious, though, I can handle it myself. What about you, dear?” Finally, she opens her eyes. Kanaan looks her in the eyes, and is relieved to find no pain, no suffering in them. She is truly fine. He shouldn't have worried, but then again worrying is one of the few things that come absolutely natural to him.

“I'm fine.” He says, and it's not even truly a lie. Still, Hera narrows her eyes at him. Kanaan closes his eyes. She knows him too well.

“Sit down, Kanaan Jarrus, and tell me exactly where you are injured.” She's using her commanding voice, but there is a spark of both amusement and worry in her eyes, so he obeys her.

“I thought I was the mind reader out of the two of us.” He jokes, and notes happily that she has to bite back a grin.

“Well, dear, not anymore. I am a famous sooth sayer, known for great wisdom and much knowledge. You can call me the Great One. Most people do.” This time, Kanaan can't help but laugh out loud.

“Now lt me see that injury. It won't go away when you ignore it, and you know that.” Hera chides him. Kanaan sighes.

“Only when you let me bandage your arm.” He tells her. Hera rolls her eyes, but accepts it.

* * *

 

Later, when Kanaan calls Hera “Great One” at dinner, Sabine, Ezra and Zeb stare. Then they gossip. Within a month, it has become Hera's new favorite nickname. Kanaan can't help but grin whenever he hears it.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr as lukeleiahan


End file.
